BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Twist & Shout! An Evening of Dance, Music and Spoken Word is OrigiNation's annual benefit which supports its youth programs. This year, OrigiNation will honor Janine Busby, Boston Police Department; David Howse, Vice President of the Office of the Arts and Executive Director for ArtsEmerson; Jose Mateo, Founder & Artistic Director of Jose Mateo Ballet Theater; and Liz Miranda, Community Activist. The evening will also feature youth from the Professional Dance Division performing new and returning works by choreographers Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga (Founding Artistic Director), Muadi B. Dibinga and Britney Wilkerson as well as a special performance by Demetrius Burns (former dancer: Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, NIA Dance Troupe). The performance will feature three premieres in addition to audience favorites as the company continues to lead the way with its unparalleled approach to modern contemporary and African dance. Filled with a roster of some of the most exciting youth in Boston, OrigiNation explodes onto The Calderwood Pavilion stage with their signature style of power and passion. Proceeds from this benefit performance will continue to help build OrigiNation's educational initiatives through scholarships and increase the number of youth served.
About OrigiNation
Artistic Director Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga founded the OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center (OrigiNation) in 1994. OrigiNation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit performance arts program that utilizes dance as a vehicle to develop leadership, confidence and self-sufficiency among young people ages 2-18. OrigiNation's mission is to utilize innovative dance and theater programs to promote self-esteem, civic responsibility, leadership development, and physical fitness among Boston youth between the ages of 2 and 18. While our programs are open to all youth who meet our age requirements, we primarily serve are African American and Latino youth from low- income families in the underserved neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan.
While our programs are open to all youth, many of our students live in the Boston neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan, where access to quality dance and theater programs is limited. We serve over 300 boys and girls annually through our on-site programs and an additional 4,500 youth through our Community Outreach & Education Program. We also conduct international and domestic Youth Empowerment through the Arts Tours. As part of this exciting program, members of our Professional Dance Division perform for and teach dance classes to elementary and high school students over the course of 5-10 days. To date, we have traveled to the South African cities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto (2007); Dakar, Senegal (2009); London, England (2010); New Orleans, LA (2011) Accra, Ghana (2012) and Trinidad (2016 & 2017). Graduates of our programs are currently living and working throughout the U.S. and abroad with notable dance and production companies including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Ronald K. Brown/ EVIDENCE, A Dance Company and some have toured with award winning artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Chris Brown, Queen Latifah, Paula Abdul and Alicia Keys. Many who have chosen not to pursue dance are utilizing skills learned through our program to excel in business, fashion design, and other industries.
SOURCE OrigiNation
Share this article